Lottiebee

[Lottiebee]

New beekeeper in North/Mid Devon.
Really Keen to link up with other local beekeepers in the area. Have just completed the 10 week course and head to the club apiary at the weekend.
however just been offered a full hive of bees today,in order to get started.

 

[For want of a better word]

Now is the time to start !
Good luck

 

[Luminos]

 

[theeggman]

from soggy Okehampton.

Tim.

 

[enrico]

Offered a hive...for free? Rip their arms off! Welcome

 

[dpearce4]

Offered a hive...for free? Rip their arms off! Welcome

 

[theeggman]

Hi.
We don't know where you are in relation to us but we are currently running a poly + cedar hive side by side.
If you would like a chat or visit please PM me/us
Tim

 

[GrumpyBunny]

Fantastic news on the free hive!

 

[Lottiebee]

Thanks for the welcome. Unfortunately it was too wet and cold to do much at the first apiary visit today.We had a quick look at the hives site etc. hefted two and made a few frames. Have since learnt that the free hive is a commercial one. As I have no idea of state of frames number of bees etc it was muted that i could perform a " shook swarm into my brand new National. What are your thoughts ? I guess I should a- wait until warmer and bees settled into new location. As i have yet to put on my new bee suit and all knowledge sofar is theory is it a difficult procedure ?

 

[yeogi75]

 

[enrico]

No it isn't difficult. I do it like this. Move the old hive to one side, put new hive on old site, remove centre three frames from new hive, take each frame in turn from old hive and hold it over the gap in new hive. Give a sharp downward movement without hitting the frame on the sides of the hive or the other frames and stop suddenly. Most of the bees will fall into new hive. Quickly brush the majority of those remaining off if necessary. Put frame in roof of old hive, different bees fly from there they will go to new hive, continue with each frame in turn, once new hive is all put together brush remaining bees into entrance. If at any point I see the queen I move her manually into new hive without shaking, ensure queen is not on any old frames or in old hive anywhere. Replace three centre frame carefully , All done!

 

[Lottiebee]

Thanks for that ,your explanation sounds very much clearer than books. Will let you know how I get on.

 

[enrico]

Having explained how to do it I would not suggest you do it on your own. There will be lots of angry bees around and a few stings half way through could make you lose your nerve! This is a job for someone with experience really......can you get someone to help....definitely leave it till the weather is warmer and preferably get some confidence handling the bees first. Try shaking one frame without the queen on in the hive they are in now to see how easy or difficult you find it!
Good luck...let me know how it goes in a couple of months!
E

 

[BeeJayBee]

Why not just put the new box on top and let them move upwards on their own?

 

[whoosling]

 

[Lottiebee]

Thanks Enrico bees all happily in orchard.The hive they arrived in is ok on the outside and i can keep indefinitely so no immediate panic. Really excited,will attempt my first hive inspection this weekend if the weather is warm as at present no idea how many bees there are. thanks for your help.

 

[Swarm]

Not the ideal start for the inexperienced, performing a hive transfer. Shook swarm as Enrico suggests is fast (agreed that it's best done accompanied) but you sacrifice brood using this method. Another decision best made with advice.
I'd do as BeeJoyful suggests, Commercial and National are the same external dimension. When the queen is laying in and occupying the National brood box, fit and excluder between the two. When all the Commercial brood has emerged you can remove the box.
Good luck, have fun.

 

[enrico]

Wish I'd suggested that!

 

[dutney]

New beekeeper in North/Mid Devon.
Really Keen to link up with other local beekeepers in the area. Have just completed the 10 week course and head to the club apiary at the weekend.
however just been offered a full hive of bees today,in order to get started.

Welcome Lottiebee.

I'm a new beekeeper too. After I completed the beginners course the chairman of my local BKA installed a nuke of bees into my brand new hive in June last year. The bees managed to create a very small surplus of honey (3.5 pounds) by September, and I entered 2 jars in our local honey show (came second out of the two who entered the novice class). The bees have made it through the winter. I've met a whole bunch of nice people who keep bees and can now say I'm hooked on beekeeping. it's absolutely fascinating.

You'll love it. Welcome again.

 

[itma]

Thanks for the welcome. ... Have since learnt that the free hive is a commercial one. As I have no idea of state of frames number of bees etc it was muted that i could perform a " shook swarm into my brand new National. What are your thoughts ? I guess I should a- wait until warmer and bees settled into new location. As i have yet to put on my new bee suit and all knowledge sofar is theory is it a difficult procedure ?

Not the ideal start for the inexperienced, performing a hive transfer. ...
Commercial and National are the same external dimension. ...
Good luck, have fun.

Lottiebee, a Commercial is actually no bad thing to have.
Its not a whole different world to the National format.
Suppliers sell a "Hamilton Converter" for about £7 (just checked!) to allow you to put Commercial frames into a National brood box.

I'd suggest that you run with the Commercial for a while, and see how you get on. You could even use most of your new hive parts with the donated brood box. /// although bees, slightly perversely, do actually find that already-bee-used boxes are more easily acceptable - making for less problems for the beekeeper!
Also, you should try and see how you get on with double brood or brood-and-a-half hives at the Association apiary.
Personally, I think that single brood with larger frames is a nicer way to go. I use 14x12 and Commercial is quite similar.

But basically, you have no obvious need to rush to move the bees across onto 'undersized' National frames.
So don't give yourself that extra problem if you can avoid it - or at least postpone it until you have some bee-experience and know WHY you want to change.